Bunching and counting machine.



H. SMITHWIGK.

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BUNCHING AND COUNTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed October 5, 1908. Serial No. 456,315.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD SMI'rnwroK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rumford Falls, in the county of Oxford and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bunching and Counting Machines, of which the following is a sv eciiication.

his invention relates to bunching andv counting machines and has for its object to provide means for gathering into bunches, each containing a predetermined number, sheets of paper, metal or other material, cards, enve ops, paper bags and other articles.

The product of many modern automatic machines is delivered therefrom at high speed and at a uniform rate and means for gathering said product into bunches, each containing a predetermined quantity, is a highly desirable adjunct to such machines.

The present invention has for its object to provide means which while receiving the articles from. such automatic machines at high. speed will with great accuracy gather and arrange them into bunches each containing a predetermined number.

To that end my improved machine comprises parts and mechanisms as illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompany ing drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof and Fig. 2 is a front elevation corresponding with the side elevation of Fig. l.

My improved machine comprises one or more receptacles or gathering boxes, in the illustrations two are shown, and 3 respectively, preferably having three sides only, as bottom 4, end 5 and side 6 of box 3. Each of said boxes has its bottom as 4 of box 3, inclined downwardly from the open receiving end toward rear end as 5 to facilitate the reception and retention of articles delivered thereto. Box 2 has thereover bridge 7 preferably substantially covering said box and. inclined downwardly toward box 3. The object of this bridge is to deflect into box 3, any article deliveredonto said bridge. lt is therefore obvious that said bridge 7 may vary materially from the form and size shown without detracting from its described usefulness.

8, 9 are a pair of rolls suitably sup orted for rotative coaction for feeding artic es, as 10, from some constant source of supply, not shown, toward boxes 2, 3 and in the line of the length of said boxes. Located between said rolls 8, 9 and the receiving end of bridge 7 is a deflector or 'gate 11 pivotally supported at 12 to be swung upward and downward to guide thereover the articles delivered by rolls 8, 9 either onto or under bridge 7. When the articles are delivered onto said bridge they will pass into box 3, when they are delivered under said bridge they will pass into box 2. It is therefore obvious that gate 11 must be moved from its upper position to its lower position and vice versa, between the times of delivery of two consecutive articles by rolls 8, 9 and that in serving lcertain classes of high speed machinery the time allowed for the operation of said gate 11 is very brief. It is therefore necessary that the raising and lowering of said gate be not only accurately timed but done quickly. I will now describe the means which I have provided for raising and lowering said. gate 1l.

On that end ol' pivot shaft 12 toward supporting column 20 and to which shaft gate 11 is fixed is 'fixed arm 13 having formed on the outer' end thereof pawl 14. Pivoted at the pawl end of arm 13 is roll 130. Mounted. for rotation in the plane of roll 130, and supported from column 20 is disk 15. About one half of the periphery of said disk is of greater radius than the other hallI and when roll 130 rides on lower portion 151 of said periphery (see Fig. l) gate 11 deflects the articles into box 2 but when roll 130 rides on higher portion 150 of said periphery gate 11 dellects the articles onto bridge 7 and thus into box ,ln most cases gate 11 may be actuated from its upper position to its lower position. with sullicient speed by gravity or a convenient spring, not shown, may be used. to assist said movement. For liberating said gate at the predetermined time l have provided a latch 16 attached to disk 15 contiguous circumferentially to the point of change from high to low on the periphery of said disk, and having a lip 17 in the plane of pawl 14 for coaction therewith. Said latch is so located that as it travels around on disk 15 in the direction oi' the arrow thereon pawl 14 drops oil' lip 17 just after an article has passed over gate 11 onto bridge 7 and said gate 11 reaches its lower position before the next article has passed su'liiciently far onto said gate to engage said bridge..

Said second article therefore passes under said bridge and into box 2.

For moving gate 11 from its lower to its between said delivery means and said bridge, means for swingii'ig said gate upwardly on its pivot comprising a revoluble cam having a portion of its periphery movably mounted therein, spring actuated means for moving said movable periphery portion and cam actuated means for iirst holding in its retracted position. and at a predetermined time liberating to the action of the spring actuated means said movable periphery portion and means for revolving the revoluble cam.

8. The combination of a receptacle, lined bridge thereover, means for delivering articles in a constant direction toward said bridge, means located at one side of the path ol travel of the articles and between said delivery means and said bridge shiftable for directing said articles always over one iace of said shiftable means, onto said bridge, or under said bridge as desired.

9. rlhe combination of a receptacle, a bridge thereover, means for delivering articles in a constant direction toward said. bridge, a gate located below the path of travel of the articles and between said delivery means and said bridge and means for moving said gate for directing said articles thereover onto said bridge or under said bridge as desired.

10. The combination of a receptacle, a bridge thereover, means Jfor delivering articles in a constant direction toward said bridge, a gate located below the path oi travel oiE the articles and between said delivery means and said bridge and means Jfor moving said gate at predetermined times for directing said articles ther-cover at one time onto said bridge and at another time under said bridge.

ll. ln a device of the class specified the combination of a gate, a revolving cam, means for operating the gate from the cam, said cam having a low portion of its periphery bounded on each side by high portions, a

movable foot normally forming that part of the low portion of said periphery adgacent to an oncoming high portion thereof and means for moving said foot outwardly when the gate operating means is in engagement therewith, from conformity with the low portion to conformity with said high portion of said periphery.

l2. yln a device of the class specified the combination of a gate, an arm Jfixed thereto, a revolving cam having its periphery in engagement with the free end of said arm said cam having a portion of its periphery of less radius than those portions at each side thereof, a movable foot normally forming a part of said low portion of said periphery and adliacent to the oncoming higher portion thereof, means for moving said foot outwardly at predetermined times from conformity with the low p art to conformity with the high part oi said periphery for moving said arm to operate the gate. y

13. ln a device of the class saeciiied the combination of a gate, a revo ving cam, means for actuating the gate from the cam, said cam having a high portion and a low portion, each concentric with the axis of said cam, a movable foot normally forming a part of the low portion of said cam adjacent to the oncoming high portion thereof, and means for moving said foot outwardly at predeter mined times into conformity with the high portion of said cam.

14. The combination of a gate, a revolving cam, means for actuating the gate from the cam, said cam having a high portion and a low portion, a movable foot normally forming a part of the low portion of said cam adjacent to the oncoming high portion thereof, means for moving said foot outwardly into conformity with the adjacent high portion of said cam when the gate actuating means is in engagement with said foot.

Signed this 28 day of Sept., 1908, at Rumiord Falls, Maine, before two subscribing witnesses.

HAROLD SMITHWCK.

Vvitnesses:

F. E. STRASBURG, H. E. Pownns. 

